Studios with large company backing and aggressive directors are behind the trend that has led to most of the big banner Bollywood films now being shot outside of India.

The current major hit starring five of Bollywood's A-list stars "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna" (Never Say Goodbye) was shot in New York using many local staff while the gangster movie "Don" was filmed Malaysia.

With Bollywood's first superhero movie "Krrish" raising the stakes for stunts in Indian movies this year, analysts said the demand for foreign experts would grow.

Krrish was shot in Singapore with Hong Kong martial arts movie specialist Tony Ching who choreographed the superman-style stunts.

The film made 1.5 billion rupees (32 million dollars) in two months, making it one of Indian cinema's biggest hits.

"The Indian audiences are not fools. In the last five years they have become technology savvy and they want the best," said director Rakesh Roshan.

Until the last decade Bollywood films were generally low-budget with poor production values where punches rarely often appeared to land in fights and horse-riding scenes were done without horses.

But major companies have begun investing in films with special effects in the past few years lured by the potential profits of an industry that is the largest in the world by volume but collects just one percent of global revenues.

In turn, Hollywood is using Indian technicians based in the western city of Mumbai, India's entertainment capital, to lower costs for animated movies.

Bollywood trade analyst Komal Nahta said: "Bollywood has become very big and producers are ready to take risks and they are getting returns.

"You pay money and you get best of foreign technicians. They too are more receptive and ready to work because most of these films are shot abroad."

The much-awaited sequel of the motorcycle gang movie "Dhoom" (Have a blast), is being filmed in Brazil, with British make-up specialist Mike Bates, who previously worked on Lord of the Rings.

"Namaste London" (Good morning London), starring Akshay Kumar, has a British director of photography, and is currently being shot on location.

"I know the pound is stronger than the rupee but there is no choice. Today Indian audiences look at quality and they don't want substandard or shoddy work," said director Vipul Shah.